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VTA and cartridge loading

I've been reading the various threads regarding VTA and how it affects what one hears. My understanding is that as VTA increases (arm is raised), there will be more emphasis on the higher frequencies and as it is decreased (arm is lowered), the lower frequencies will be more emphasized. A quicker, airier sound versus a richer, fuller sound.

Someone also told me that VTA is really an adjustment in the time domain, meaning that it affects how accurately transient information is reproduced. If it is too high, the leading edge becomes shrill and occurs too early in time thus becoming detached from the note's harmonics and if it is too low, the leading edge of a transient occurs too late and gets mixed in with the rest of the note and it becomes a bit muddy and poorly defined.

My understanding of the affects of proper cartridge loading is somewhat similar. That is, the higher the loading, the more life and dynamics one hears. The lower the loading, the fuller, richer the sound becomes.

Are these descriptions accurate and useful? Is there any relationship between VTA and cartridge loading? Which should be set first?
peterayer
samhar
1,048 posts
 
Hi Stops, I was thanking Peterayer for his response to my inquiry, I'm curious how he goes about setting up his cartridge after it's mounted on the arm. In the original post he asked;

"Is there any relationship between VTA and cartridge loading? Which should be set first?"

I use a record of "normal" thickness, set the SRA to 92* then set the VTF at a middle setting, recheck SRA, then set the loading at either 47kohm or 1000ohm and last adjust the antiskate for audio balance. I'm finding that starting with and working around the SRA (92*) is a faster, more repeatable system and much less confusing than trying to start with VTA.
I guess I'm saying SRA, VTF and loading are all first and VTA is for very fine tuning or last. There is so much going back and forth there is no one way.
peterayer OP
1,382 posts
 
Samhar,
I start with setting the VTF in the middle of the recommended range. Then I set the arm to be level on a thin LP. Then I set alignment using a MintLP protractor. Then I set antiskate low, maybe .5-.8g. Then I try different loading values, in my case, starting at 100 ohms as recommended by both the phono stage and cartridge manufacturers and move down, then up in value until complex passages sound clear and resolved and balanced tonally. Once that all sounds good, I go back to VTA, which with the SME V arm is a bit difficult to adjust. I now listen mostly to thin classical LPs, so I start with those and don't really adjust for thicker LPs because of the hassle. SRA is too difficult to see precisely, so I just adjust VTA by ear, basically listening for proper transient timing with respect to the note and its harmonics. The SME table and arm are really set-and-forget so I stop and enjoy the music. I have heard VTA adjusted on-the-fly by experts in this area and have been very impressed with the results, but my set up just doesn't really allow for that.
stops
56 posts
 
Sanhar: No problem. I think setting the VTA/SRA first is very important. It has a MUCH greater effect on the sound than the load resistance. Then you should reduce the resistance from the value I suggested. But it is your call.
peterayer OP
1,382 posts
 
Stops,
If you set VTA/SRA first, do you also adjust VTA on-the-fly for different LP thicknesses. This would suggest that those listeners who do adjust for each LP, set their VTA last. Or do you then readjust loading again after you adjust VTA for each LP? Is my question clear?

I guess what I do is set VTA close (ie. level in my case) early on in the process, then set loading and finally set VTA again adjusting very slightly by ear as the final adjustment.
stops
56 posts
 
Peterayer: That is a good question. I set the VTA for the thinnest LP and find that it works very well for the thickest. I do not alter the VTA for each record. You can easily tweak away and not enjoy the music!

As I said in the prior thread the VTA adjustment has the largest impact on sound. You can start with a level arm (on a thin LP) and then go up in the back to optimize the VTA. However not all stylii are set exactly and 2-3 degree variations exist. The idea of starting with a load resistor well in excess of where you would end up ensures that what you are hearing is due to VTA adjustment only. If you for example chose a very low load resistor you can kill the high frequencies and may think that you need to raise the arm further in the back but you will never get it right.
I should say my load resistor on a Benz Glider SM ended up at 680 ohms for me, so maybe you should start at 2000 ohms which is where I started for this cartridge.
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